Conventional network hardware and software may be used to support data transfers between an originating host network node and a destination target network node over one or more designated data channels. The host network node may represent a host system/host processor/host server (host) on which a variety of applications or services are provided. The host typically connects to the network via a dedicated hardware network interface adapter, which may be referred to as a host channel adapter (HCA). The host channel adapter (HCA) may be used to provide an interface between the host network node and the switched network via high speed data links. Similarly, destination target channel adapters (TCA) may be used to provide an interface between the multi-stage switched network and an I/O controller (e.g., storage and networking devices) of either a second network or a target I/O unit via high speed data links.
Memory message switches are used to route data and messages among agents, where an agent may be a computer or peripheral. A memory message switch comprises memory, where data and messages are stored. An agent, the requesting agent, requests data from another agent, the destination agent, where the requested data is first stored in the memory message switch before it is provided to the requesting agent.
In a memory message switch, it is useful to reduce the latency between a request for data and a read of the requested data.